Shaft sinking machine



Nov. 6, 1956 v. ZENI 2,769,614

SHAFT SINKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i 5/ @911. I I 52 g \q u l/l/ will w IHIII.

INVENTOR v Vac to!" Z en z,

ATTOR NEYB Nov. 6, 1956 v. ZENI 2,769,614

SHAFT SINKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTD RN EYS NOV. 6, V Z

SHAFT SINKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 12, 1953 ATTORN EYS Nov. 6, 1956 v. ZEN] 2,769,614

SHAFT SINKING MACHINE 1 Filed Aug. 12-, 1953 4 Sheet s$heet. 4

ATTORNEYS United States Patent SHAFTSINKING MACHINE Victor'-Zeni,'Morgantown, W. Va. Application August ,12, 1953, SerialNo. 373,727 l' Claim. ;'(Cl.255-14.'8)

T his invention relates to well'drillingand in particular -aShaft.-sinking machine in which a cylindricalbo'dy hav- -ing;cutt'ing elements 'on the lower edge and extended downwardly from anoperating-headcuts a comparatively thin cylindricalslot rial, :and wherein, :after the slotis cut-to a;predetern1ined around-aibody of soil orzother matedepth the shaft sinking machine is removed and the cylindricalbody or core of material remaining in'the center removed'by other-means.

The purpose of this -invention is to provide means 'for'separating a core from a cylindrical wall-of a well .to=r"acilitate removing the material of the core.

Various methods'have been-used for-well drilling and the conventional shaft sinking machines which dig and remove thesoil atthe-same time are comparatively inefficient and require-considerable time to 'form a shaft.

"With: this thought in mind this invention contemplates a shaft sinking .machinethatcuts 'acylindrical slot around "a cylindrical core at comparatively rapid speed: andthat is'adapted tobereadily set up for operation and also Y readily removed.

The .object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for mounting a rotatable hea'dhaving a cylindrical skirt with cutters on the lower'edge depending-therefrom in ashaft-whereby-theskirtis adapted to travel downwar'dly arounda cylindrical core with thecutters'cooled .byi-blasts of airsupplied thereto'and with material'from a slot formed thereby-removed by suction and carried to acompartmenti-n' the upper part of the head 'by vacuum. Another'object of the inventionis .to provide means 'for'rem'oving-soil cut by cutters on the lower edge of a cylindrical casingwhereby the operation ofthe cutterstis expedited.

Another object of the invention is to provide means'for positioning and clamping a shaft sinking cutter head in a vshaft-toaexpedite operationofcutters on the lower edge of a cylindrical casing or skirt depending from the head. A-nother'impo'rtantobject of the invention is to provide means for circulating-air to cutterson the lower edge of a cylindricalskirt depending from anoperating head whereby the cutters are cooled, and suction carries material'up- "wardly to a chamber in the operating hea'd.

-Afurther object of the invention is to provide an im- -proved:shaft sinking machine which is .of a simple and economical construction.

Patented Nov. 6, 1956 "2 ing theimproved shaft sinking machine of this invention in elevation therein.

Figure 2 is a plan 'view'looking downwardly uponzthe upperend of the machine.

FigurerS is arsectional plan taken on line 3-3 ofFigure '1 showing the vacuum and hydraulic pumps with the mo- .tors-by whichthe pumps are operated andalso showing the distributing tubes and pipes extended from thepnmps.

Figure Arisasectional, plan through the machine taken on.line 44 of Figure 1 showing .the'motors with the pinions and gears for rotating the cylindrical casing-depending from the-head of the'machine.

:Figure 5 is-a sectionaLplan throughthe-machinetaken outlines-5 of'Figure 1 showing the gears andbearings through which the=rotating-,portion.of the 'hea'd'of the a machine .is' operated.

Figure 6=isaverticalsection through the "machine taken on line-6,6 of Figure 2 illustrating the-construction-fof the operating parts of the machine.

Figure 7'is adetail taken-on line 7-7 of-Figure -6, looking upwardly showing one'of the=jacks orclamps .forcentering and clampingthe machine in a shaft.

Figure 8 is .-a vertical section taken on line 8-3 of Figure 7talsoshowing one of-the clamps.

*Figure '9 is a detail showing the 'mounting of one of the cutters on the lower edgeof thecylindrical casing-of -the --r-nachine said sectionbeing taken 'on line 9-9 of Figure 6.

Figure :10 is a detailshowing, a. sectional plan taken on line Ill-.10 ofFigure 6-ishowing theconnections .of'the :air supply ducts .toaicenter. supply pipe.

Figure 11 is a detail showing a vertical section through one .of'tlie rcuttersrmounted on the lower end of "the cylindrical casing, other parts being omitted and the :outlineof the ,slot'formedby the. cylindrical cutting element ."beingshown inbroken lines.

Figure :12-is a vertical section through one of the hydraulic cylinders: for actuating the hydraulic clamping ele- .mentssaid section being taken on line :1212- of Figure 6.

:Figure B'is' a detail showing oneof the motors forro- :tat-i'ngJthe cylindrical casing rat the lower end of the oper- -at-ing-head, and showing in-particular a reduction gear --housing positioned between'the-motor and pinion.

Figure .1.4-.is-..a detail showing a modificationwherein a screw typejack is provided for locating and clamping'the upper end of the machine in a well or shaft.

Figure'liis: a diagrammatic viewillustrating atypical wiring diagramused for .the machine.

Figure -16 is a detail showing another modification *wherein the hydraulic cylinders are actuated by a revers- .ing mechanism including a reversible valve and solenoids.

Figure 17'is a-detail-showing a vertical section through .-one of'the-control valvesof the hydraulic system, with thesolenoids in the positions shown in Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a cross section'taken on line 181 8of Figure 17 *also showing the four-way control valve.

Figure '19 is a cross :section taken on line '19'19 of Figure 17 alsoshowing a section through the control valve.

Figure '20 is-azsectional plan showing a further modification wherein a hydraulic jack is used ,in combination with screw jackszfor centering and clamping the machine in a shaft, thereby providing an anti-torque vice of another design.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improvedshaft sinking'machine'of this invention includesza circular plate 10, was shown in Figure 6, providing an operating head witha cylindrical :casing 11 extended downwardly from the :peripheral edge and having cutters 12'journaled on thelower edge'thereofi'a' motor platform 13, which is stationary, and which is provided'with a' peripheral flanger14 15, U-shaped in cross section, a pump platform 16 spaced above the motor platform 13, an upper disk 17 supported from the motor platform 13 by struts 18, a horizontally disposed screen 19 positioned above the disk 17, antitorque vise including threaded studs 20 mounted in sleeves 21 and actuated by nuts 22 to adjust the machine in relation to the shaft or Well, hydraulic cylinders 23 mounted on'the motor platform 13 and pivotally connected to toggle acting levers 24, a plurality of motors 25, a vacuum pump 26 and a hydraulic pump 27.

The upper end of the machine is provided with an anti-torque shaft 30 having an eye 31 extended from a head 32 in the upper end and, as illustrated in Figure 6,

the lower end ofthe shaft 30 is provided with a flange 33 by which the shaft is secured, preferably by welding to the upper disk 17. The upper disk 17 is connected by the vertically disposed struts 18 to the head or platform 13 and the cylindrical casing or skirt 11 hangs downwardly from the head which is positioned below the platform 13 and the parts held by the coupling members 15.

.The motor platform 13 with the superstructure extended upwardly therefrom is stationary and the rotating operating head is journaled by a ball bearing 170 as shown particularly in Figure 5 on the under surface of the platform. The ball bearing is mounted in an annular flange 36 in which the outer race 38 is secured and the head is provided with an annular flange 37 on which the inner race 39 is positioned.

The lower ends of the members are secured to the head by welding as shown at the point 40.

The upper end of the cylindrical casing 11 is provided with a horizontally disposed partition 41 spaced from the head 10 providing an open chip collecting area 42 above the partition'41.

In the operation of the device compressed air is forced downwardly from a conventional compressor, not shown, or from the pressure side of the vacuum pump 26 through a tube 43 to a head 44 from which the air is distributed by ducts 45 to nozzles 46 adjacent the toothed rotary cutters 12. The cuttings from the cutters and drags 6 positioned between the cutters are drawn upwardly by vacuum from the pump 26 through ducts 47 which extend upwardly through the partition 41 and extend through the partition and into the open area 42 where the cuttings as indicated by the numeral 48 are deposited upon the upper surface of the partition. The ducts 47 are provided with collecting nozzles or receivers, as indicated by the numeral 49.

From the area 42 the air is drawn through the tube 72 to the suctionrside of the vacuum pump 26.

As illustrated in Figure 11 the toothed cutting disks 12 are journaled by studs 53 against an inclined surface 54 on the lower edge of the casing 11 and the ducts 45 supply air against the inner surface of the disks, as shown by the arrow 55. The lower edge of the casing 11 is provided with a shoulder 56 that is positioned slightly above the upper edges of the cutters.

As illustrated in Figure 6 an annular angle bar 57 is positioned against the under surface of the head 10 at the center and a similar angle'bar 58 is positioned around the outer edge or against the inner surface of the casing 11. The angle irons 57 and 58 provide reinforcing means for the head 10.

The operating head and cylindrical casing 11 arerotated by the motors 25 with pinions 59 as shown in'Figure 13 extended from reduction gear units 60 connected to the motors 25 with couplings 61 and, as illustrated in Figure 5 the pinions 59 mesh with a gear 62 extended upwardly from the head 10. The motors are supported from the motor platform 13 with struts 63 and shafts 64 on which the pinions 59 are mounted extend through openings 65 in the platform 13, as shown in'Figure 13;

'The' hydraulic pump 27, shown in Figure 3, is driven by a motor 66 with a belt 67, as shown in Figure 3 and the tubes 52 which extend from the distributor 51 on the '82 and with the levers 24 which are pivotally discharge side of the pump 27 carry fluid under pressure to the hydraulic cylinders 23, the tubes 52 being provided with hydraulic oil control valves, as indicated by the numeral 68. The pump 27 is also provided with a res ervoir 69 which is connected to the distributor 51 with a tube 70 and the tube 70 is also provided with a valve 71.

The cuttings removed by the cutters 12 are drawn upwardly through the ducts 47 by suction in the area 42 created by the vacuum pump 26 which is connected to the area above the partition 41 by a pipe 72 which extends from the suction side of the vacuum pump downwardly through the motor platform 13 and also through the head 10, as shown in Figure 6. The cuttings are deposited in the area 42 and the air is drawn upwardthrough the suction or vacuum pump. The vacuum pump is actuated by a motor 73 to which it is connected with a belt 74.

The tubes 52 connect the upper ends of the hydraulic cylinders 23 to a distributor 51 above the pump 27 and *tubes 79 connect the lower parts of the hydraulic cylinders to a distributor 80, which is connected to the pump 27 with a tube 81. The tubes 79 are provided with valves the valves controlled by suitable means fluid under pressure may be supplied to the upper or lower ends of the cylinders.

The hydraulic cylinders 23 are provided with pistons 83 having connecting rods 84 and the upper ends of the connecting rods are pivotally connected with pins 85 to mounted by pins 86 on a sliding head 87 from which the sleeves 21 also extend. The extended'ends of the levers 24 are providedwith rollers 87 which are pivotally mounted on pins 88 and as fluid under pressure is supplied through the tubes 79 to the lower ends of the cylinders 23 the levers 24 are driven upwardly with the rollers 87 sliding against anti-torque shoes 89 positioned against the wall of the shaft.

The shoes 89, which are provided with projecting teeth 90, as shown in Figure 8, are pivotally connected with pins 91 to the extended ends of the threaded studs 20 which extend from the sleeves 21, the sleeves being mounted in bosses 92. a

The screen 19 is mounted on a frame 93 which is supported from the sleeves 21 with'struts 94 and struts 95 extend downwardly from the sleeves to the upper disk 17.

With the hydraulic cylinders mounted in this manner and connected to the levers 24, pressure applied through the tubes 79 to the lower ends of the hydraulic cylinders causes an upward pressure with the levers 24 forcing the rollers 87 against the bearing plates 89 whereby force is applied downwardly against the operating head 10 and cutters on the lower edges of the cylindrical casing 11.

The position of the machine in the shaft is readily adjusted by the adjusting nuts 22 on the studs'whereby the shaft 30 may be centered in the well and positioned as desired.

It will be understood that members 15 may be continuous or these devices may be in the form of a plurality of brackets positioned at spaced points around the periph-,

cry of the flange 14. a

The cylindrical casing 11 is provided with anopening 96, see Figure 1, through which cuttings and the like may be removed, the opening being closed witha cover plate 97 and the plate being secured in position bybolts 98.;

, The area between the platform 13 and the upper disk 17 is enclosed with flat plates 99, as shown in Figure 4 and, as illustrated in Figure 12, the lower ends of the hydraulic cylinders 23 are pivotally mounted on the motor 7 platform 13 with pins 100 which extend through ears 101 extended upwardly from the platform 13.

A control box 102 may be pos oned upon the upper,

cutting disks on the lower edge.

with the As illustrated in Figure 15 the control switches supply current from supply wires 106 and 107 to the hydraulic pump motor 27 through the switch 103, to the vacuum pump motor 73 through the switch 104 and to the motors 25 for actuating the cylindrical casing and cutters through the switch 105.

In the design illustrated in Figure 14 the upper end of a shaft 110, similar to the shaft 30 is supported with toggle levers 111 having shoes 112 connected to the ends with pins 113 and the levers are actuated by a control nut 114 with bars 115 that are pivotally connected to the levers with pins 116 in lugs 117 and to a traveling head 118 with pins 119. The levers 111 are connected to a saddle 120 with pins 121 and the upper end of the shafts 110 is provided with a threaded stud 122 on the upper end of which is an eye 123.

It will be understood that other suitable means may be used for centering and clamping the shaft or other parts of the device in the well.

In the device illustrated in Figure 16 a modification is shown wherein four-way valves 125 are actuated by solenoids 126 and 127 which are connected to the valves with a lever 128 and, as current is applied to one solenoid fluid under pressure is supplied through a tube 129 to the upper end of one of the hydraulic cylinders, which are indicated by the numeral 130 and as current is supplied to the other solenoid fluid is supplied through a connection 131 to the lower end of the cylinder. The fourway valve 125 is also provided with a connection 132 to a hydraulic pump and a connection 133 to a reservoir. In this design the hydraulic cylinders are provided with connecting rods 134, similar to the rods 84 and the cylinders are pivotally mounted with pins 135 on a platform 136, similar to the platform 13. The upper ends of the cylinders are mounted in a platform 137, similar to the disk 17.

The solenoids 126 and 127 may be provided with current from a suitable source of supply such as with the current supplied through wires 138 and 139 to a control switch 140 with the opposite side of the switch connected with suitable wires to the solenoids.

The four-way valve 125 is shown in detail in Figures l7, l8 and 19 wherein oil under pressure is supplied through a connection 132 from the hydraulic pump and with the parts positioned as shown in Figure 17 the oil is supplied through the connection 129 by a bypass 141 to the upper ends of the hydraulic cylinders and with the parts in the position shown in Figure 19 the oil is supplied to the upper ends of the cylinders through the tubes 129, whereas with the parts as shown in Figure 18 the lower ends of the cylinders are connected to the reservoir or return.

In the design illustrated in Figure 20 another anti-torque vise is illustrated wherein a cylinder 142 is provided with a hydraulic cylinder 143 with a rod 144 journaled in a bearing 145 extended from one end and a rod 146 mounted in a bearing 147 extended from the opposite end. The ends of the rods 144 and 146 are provided with gripping heads 148 and 149, respectively. The rod 146 is controlled by a piston 150 in the cylinder 143 and the rod is retracted by springs 151 which connect one end of the cylinder 143 to a collar 152 on the rod 145.

The cylinder 142 is also provided with ears 153 to which rods 154 are pivotally connected with pins 155, and the rods 154 are provided with sleeves 156 from which threaded studs 157 extend, the studs being provided with actuating nuts 158 and gripping heads 159. By this means the shaft or other parts of the device may be centered and clamped in a well or shaft.

With the parts arranged and assembled as disclosed and described the shaft sinking machine of this invention is positioned on the ground and with the head 19 rotated by the motors 25 the cutting disks 12 cut a comparatively thin cylindrical slot, as indicated by the numeral 160 in the ground leaving a cylindrical core 161 at the center and as the cutters work downwardly around the core the cuttings, mud, and the like, removed by the cutters is drawn upwardly into the area 42 and at regular intervals the machine is withdrawn, the core 151 removed by other means, and the material 48 in the area 42 removed.

The cutting head is then ready for another cycle of operation and the operations are continued until a shaft of the desired depth is obtained.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claim, may be made in the design and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a shaft sinking machine, a circular plate providing an operating head, a cylindrical casing extending downwardly from the peripheral edge of said plate, a plurality of rotary toothed inclined cutters journaled on the lower edge of said casing, a first platform arranged in spaced parallel relation above said plate, U-shaped clips ex tending between said plate and platform, a second platform arranged in spaced parallel relation above said first platform, a disc supported above said second platform, a horizontally disposed screen positioned above said disc, anti-torque vises including threaded studs, sleeves engaging said studs, a plurality of hydraulic cylinders pivotally mounted on said first platform, a plurality of motors mounted on said first platform, a vertically disposed antitorque shaft having a flange on its lower end secured to said disc, a head on the upper end of said shaft having an eye extending therefrom, struts connecting said disc to said first platform, said first platform being stationary and said plate being mounted for rotary motion about a vertical axis, a horizontally disposed partition arranged adjacent the upper end of said casing providing an open chip collecting area, nozzles arranged adjacent said rotary toothed cutters for directing air against said cutters, conduits for conveying compressed air to said nozzles, ducts for conveying cuttings upwardly and into said chip collecting area, a vacuum pump connected to said ducts, reduction gear units connected to said motors, pinions extending from said reduction gear units, a gear extending upwardly from said plate and meshing with said pinions, a hydraulic pump for supplying fluid to said cylinders, valves for controlling flow of hydraulic fluid to said cylinders, pistons reciprocally arranged in said cylinders and having rods extending upwardly therefrom, levers pivotally connected to said rods, rollers mounted on the ends of said levers, anti-torque shoes engaging said rollers and said shoes being provided with projecting teeth, pins pivotally connecting said shoes to said studs, a frame extending upwardly from said sleeves for supporting said screen, nuts adjustably mounted on said studs for centering said shaft, there being an opening in said casing for the removal of cuttings, and a control unit positioned above said screen.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,799,559 Hunicke Apr. 7, 1931 2,096,056 Miller Oct. 19, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 380,469 Great Britain Aug. 24, 1932 

